I purchased this orange beauty via Ebay last year, for the princely sum of £30. The vendor was located in Leeds and had been using the bike as a daily commuter. It was my intention to restore the bike so I could use it as a 'jeans and T shirt' run around, rather than a 'lycra clad' ride. I chose a Carlton simply because I live close to Worksop where the bikes were first made.
When I stripped the frame I saw that the bottom bracket was clearly marked with an address in York. As the bike had no decals and I wanted to establish the original colour I decided to try and track down the owner. I figured that anyone who went to the trouble of stamping the frame must have cherished the bike. 'Open source' enquires proved fruitless therefore I wrote a letter to the Yorkshire Post newspaper. This was successful when I was contacted by the wife of the owner. Her tale was not what I expected. She told me that her husband used to cycle to work on the bike daily,travelling from York to Leeds by train. Approximately 15 years ago he did not return from his daily commute. Unfortunately, he had a heart attack in Leeds and sadly died. As far she was concerned, the bike was still chained up in Leeds railway station as she never returned for it and assumed it had been disposed of. When she last saw the bike it was hand painted black. I naturally apologised for causing her any distress however,she was pleased to hear I was restoring the bike.
Dave Marsh, at Universal Cycles, believed the bike to be a 1974 Continental, one of Carlton's basic models.
As I couldn't establish the original colour, I decided to paint the bike a colour of my choosing. I appreciate this may divide the purists however, I still think the bike looks good. Despite having a cast iron frame and budget wheels which I built from parts it is very comfortable and, believe it or not, when I rode my 50 circuit around Worksop I actually posted some respectable Strava segments and PR's. The bike has pride of place in my 'carbon' garage and always turns heads when I ride it.
When I stripped the frame I saw that the bottom bracket was clearly marked with an address in York. As the bike had no decals and I wanted to establish the original colour I decided to try and track down the owner. I figured that anyone who went to the trouble of stamping the frame must have cherished the bike. 'Open source' enquires proved fruitless therefore I wrote a letter to the Yorkshire Post newspaper. This was successful when I was contacted by the wife of the owner. Her tale was not what I expected. She told me that her husband used to cycle to work on the bike daily,travelling from York to Leeds by train. Approximately 15 years ago he did not return from his daily commute. Unfortunately, he had a heart attack in Leeds and sadly died. As far she was concerned, the bike was still chained up in Leeds railway station as she never returned for it and assumed it had been disposed of. When she last saw the bike it was hand painted black. I naturally apologised for causing her any distress however,she was pleased to hear I was restoring the bike.
Dave Marsh, at Universal Cycles, believed the bike to be a 1974 Continental, one of Carlton's basic models.
As I couldn't establish the original colour, I decided to paint the bike a colour of my choosing. I appreciate this may divide the purists however, I still think the bike looks good. Despite having a cast iron frame and budget wheels which I built from parts it is very comfortable and, believe it or not, when I rode my 50 circuit around Worksop I actually posted some respectable Strava segments and PR's. The bike has pride of place in my 'carbon' garage and always turns heads when I ride it.
